Kalina Zhekova

Research interests

The intensely dynamic relationship between U.S. and Russia is marked by complex phases of partnership, increased tensions and a recent return to instability where interventions in international crises have had a transformative effect on the nature of bilateral ties.

My project investigates the question of what motivates Russian responses to Western-led military and diplomatic interventions from 2009-2014, focusing on the Libyan and Syrian crises, what they reveal about Russia’s perceived ‘new role’ in international politics and its effect on the nature of ties between Moscow and Washington.

It applies a critical geopolitical framework to analyse the interrelation between Russian perceptions of geographical space, intervention, post-Cold War state identity and the extent of their influence on decision-making and political response. It combines approaches from discourse analysis applied to officials’ speeches, media appearances, documentary and archival documents to critically analyse competing discourses.